People may want the funk, but not the chunky white smelling kind. That's right – smegma. Smegma didn't start out as all bad. Smegma is actually the end-result of the body's masterful self-cleaning skills and is an odorific concoction of oil, dead skin cells, and other fluids. However, elves and fairies won't come to clean it up for a man, he has to do it himself. And when he doesn't…it isn’t pretty. Not only does it stink, but it also can lead to infections and embarrassment in more intimate moments. The good news, however, is it’s easy to clean up and even easier to prevent.

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Smegma Infection Symptoms

Unlike the mystery of whether the barista at Starbucks is interested or just providing excellent customer service, smegma is pretty apparent. It’s also one of those conditions that doesn't show a lot of variances. Since it’s physically seen, smegma infection symptoms are pretty unswerving. There are a few common smegma symptoms which include:

• A foul or sour odor coming from the penis. ‘Nuff said on that symptom.

• An off-white and dense texture with a cheese-like consistency. Nope, it’s not cottage, it’s head cheese (as it’s known colloquially). And the aforementioned smell will go toe-to-toe with the finest Limburger.

• Burning and pulsating urination. Nope, your penis didn’t turn into a dragon; it’s the smegma. Men who experience this may also find they feel the urge to pee more frequently as well.

• Irritation. Penis skin gets red, irritated, and angry. 

Smegma Causes

The cause of smegma is pretty much one and only one thing – not cleaning the region thoroughly or often enough. When a man neglects his nether region and doesn't correctly and meticulously wash his penis (or his body for that matter), all the layers of sweat, dead skin and body oils unite to infect the body. In simplest terms, the absence of a properly performed hygiene regimen will result in smegma. Men who don’t wash daily, don’t wash after workouts, don’t wash after sex, or don’t wash with purpose (looking at those guys who get in the shower and wash their hair think the sudsy flowing down their body will do the rest of the work) are prone to smegma.  

While not a cause of smegma, being uncircumcised puts a man at higher risk for having smegma simply because under the foreskin is smegma’s favorite place to live. To avoid smegma and hygiene issues, some of these men decide to get circumcised.

Treating Smegma Infection Symptoms

How do you treat smegma? If you don’t know, now you know. It’s easy. Simply perform a daily grooming ritual. This ritual should center around precisely cleaning the penis, including around and under the foreskin. Then rinse, dry, and moisturize. For the more detailed fella, here's a detailed how-to for cleaning up and keeping the area smegma-free. 

1) Gently pull back the foreskin. If the smegma has hardened, it may not be able to pull all the way back. Don’t force it! It can cause pain and tear the skin and that may lead to infection. Soak the area in warm water for a prolonged period of time to loosen the smegma. Oil can also help. Do not use a scrub or scrubber though. That will tear the delicate penile skin, inviting bacteria, and causing intense pain.

2) Use a mild cleanser and warm water to wash the entire area. Be gentle but thorough. If the smegma hardened, again rub some oil (olive or coconut is great) on it first to break down the smegma gently.

3) Rinse thoroughly and pat dry when done cleansing.

4) Condition the penis with a specially formulated penis health creme (health professionals recommend Man 1 Man Oil, which has been clinically proven safe and mild for skin) after every cleansing. Choose a cream that has a natural moisturizing base like Shea butter and vitamin E to nourish the penis. Then add vitamins A, B, C, and D for their skin-soothing, elastin, and cell regeneration properties.

5) Repeat daily until the smegma disappears and continue to follow this new process to prevent smegma.

If the smegma isn’t better after a good week of thorough cleaning, or if it’s getting worse, see a doctor for treatment. Otherwise, get to washing!